Rangers payments to be probed

02 August 2012 07:47

The Scottish Premier League has announced the appointment of an independent commission to look into alleged EBT (Employment Benefit Trust) payments and arrangements made by Rangers in relation to players.

The commission will determine whether the club breached the relevant SPL rules in relation to alleged EBT payments and arrangements for players between 2000 and 2011.

The commission will have powers to determine what sanctions, if any, are appropriate if they decide that any breaches occurred.

The SPL probe was launched in early March and delayed for months by the failure of Rangers' administrators to hand over documents.

There has been talk of the Ibrox club being stripped of titles if found guilty and the issue is a sticking point regarding Rangers newco's bid for membership of the Scottish Football Association.

Charles Green's club, who were voted into the Third Division of the Scottish Football League by the SFL clubs after being refused admission into the SPL, gained conditional membership of the SFA last Friday which allowed them to play against Brechin in the Ramsdens Cup on Sunday.

The SPL had "reserved its position" over their probe but Ibrox chairman Malcolm Murray said at the time: "We still have outstanding issues with the SPL but we will challenge them at every turn.''

Rangers boss Ally McCoist declared he would never accept Rangers being stripped of titles.